Steering column for a vehicle

A steering column assembly comprising:

• an elongated steering column supported for up and down rake adjustment;
• a first and second rake brackets on respective opposite sides of the steering column;
• a compression bracket secured to the steering column;
• said first rake bracket having a vertically elongated first rake slot and a vertical series of rake slot teeth on a front side of the first rake slot;
• said second rake bracket having a vertically elongated second rake slot transversely aligned with the first rake slot;
• a transverse rake bolt having a first end disposed in said first rake slot and a second end disposed in said second rake slot and extending through an opening in the compression bracket;
• a tooth lock supported in the first rake slot on said rake bolt, said tooth lock having teeth opposing the rake slot teeth;
• said bolt being axially rotatable to a first rotative position for moving said tooth lock rearwardly to a retracted position with the teeth of the tooth lock out of engagement with the rake slot teeth to enable rake adjustment of the steering column;
• said bolt being axially rotatable to a second rotative position permitting movement of the tooth lock forwardly to a locking position in which the teeth of the tooth lock are engaged with the rake slot teeth to maintain an established rake adjustment of the steering column;
• a spring mounted on the first rake bracket for moving the tooth lock to said locking position when said bolt is rotated to the second rotative position thereof;
• and
• said bolt, when said tooth lock is in the locking position and said bolt is in the second rotative position, being movable forwardly, in response to an application of an impact force on the column in a collision event in a direction to collapse the steering column, into bearing abutment with the tooth lock to positively retain the tooth lock in the locking position.